Barry Zito, whose Game 5 start turned around the NLCS for the Giants, gets the nod for Game 1 of the World Series.

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

Barry Zito, whose Game 5 start turned around the NLCS for the...

Image 2 of 3

Giants starting pitcher Barry Zito throws in the second inning, as the San Francisco Giants take on the Cincinnati Reds in game four of the National League Division Series in Cincinnati, Ohio on Wednesday Oct. 10, 2012.

Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle

Giants starting pitcher Barry Zito throws in the second inning, as...

Image 3 of 3

Madison Bumgarner made a quick exit in Game 1 of the NLCS, but says his mechanics are fixed and he's ready for the ball again.

Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle

Madison Bumgarner made a quick exit in Game 1 of the NLCS, but says...

Bruce Bochy sat in his office, grabbed the phone and prepared to make a joyous call to let Barry Zito know he would throw the first pitch of the 2012 World Series against the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night. He got no answer.

"I tried to call him all day," Bochy said. "He left his phone at the ballpark so I couldn't get ahold of him."

Once a left-hander, always a left-hander, but look how far this one has come.

Two years ago, Zito was left off three postseason rosters. Now, he will start Game 1 of the World Series against 2011 American League Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander.

"For him to keep grinding and trying to get better, for him to be at this point and starting the first game, I was really glad, proud to tell him that," Bochy said after he finally talked to Zito in person before Tuesday's workout at AT&T Park.

"I told him, 'I'm glad to hand you the ball.' "

In a perfect world, Bochy would be handing the ball to Ryan Vogelsong or Matt Cain, but the Giants' seven-game run through the National League Championship Series does not afford him that option. He needed Vogelsong and Cain to win the final two games against the Cardinals on Sunday and Monday.

The Tigers are sitting pretty with Verlander, Doug Fister and Anibal Sanchez each set to throw twice. The Giants will use a funky rotation that starts with two left-handers.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland was able to joke about how easy it was to pick Verlander for the opener.

"He told me he was pitching Game 1, so I said OK," Leyland said.

Bochy had choices for Games 2, 3 and 4. He picked Bumgarner over Lincecum because he believes the left-hander has discovered the source of his struggles in September and in two rough playoff starts.

Bumgarner was rotating too far in his windup. He said that not only threw his mechanics out of whack, but led to fatigue because of the extra effort he was putting his body through with each pitch. Bumgarner believes that fatigue caused his loss in velocity.

"We fixed that," Bumgarner said. "There's no way to tell for sure until we get to game speed. I feel a whole lot better throwing off the mound. My stuff is sharper and my command is better."

During a Giants media availability, Lincecum said he did not know who was starting Game 2, though he probably was aware that he was being cast into the bullpen. Lincecum is making no waves and said he feels as comfortable working in relief on short notice as he does starting.

"That's kind of the way I am as a human being," he said. "I'm oblivious to half the things going on, and when I hear my name it's like, 'Oh, hey, let's go!' It kind of works for me."

Bochy also could have used Friday's off day to flop Vogelsong and Cain. That he did not is significant because Cain gets only one potential start in the Series and Vogelsong gets two, including Game 7. Bochy went with the comeback kid over his "horse."

"I like the way Vogelsong is throwing, too," Bochy said. "He's throwing as well as anybody on the staff so we just kept it in order. If Vogelsong gets the last start, we have no problem with that."

Clearly, nobody on the team has any issues with Zito starting Game 1, particularly after he gave the Giants 7 2/3 shutout innings in Friday's do-or-die game at St. Louis.

It's a great comeback story that Zito insisted he will think about later.

"It's hard to reflect and really become third-person about this experience right now," he said. "It's more about right now and preparing for a ballgame against a good team. I can look back on everything when I'm back home."